Amusement apparatus



H. F. MAY NES AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Sept. 2, 1941.

Filed Nov. 28, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l lNV ENTOR hymRMaynes,

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ATTORNEYS p 1941- I H. F. MAYNES 2,255,013

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS I F iled Ndv. 28, 1940 s Shets-Sheeg. 2

INVENTOR film? Maynes,

ATTORNEYS P 1941- F. MAYNEs I 2,255,013

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Kyla?Moyms- Y mvaaan ATTORNEYS Extended Sept. 2, i941 AMUSEMENT APPARATUSvHylla F. Maynes, North Tonawanda, N. Y., as

signor of one-half to Emma C. Maynes, North Tonawanda, N. Y.

Application November 28, 1940, Serial No. 367,586

Claims. (Cl. 272-7) This invention relates to amusement apparatus andhas particular relation to apparatus wherein passenger carriages or carssimulating airplanes in design and appearance are mounted upon aframework for rotation with the latter about a vertical axis and alsofor vertical movements with respect to the framework.

The invention contemplates a substantially vertical track upon whicheach carriage may move vertically, the tracks being a part of arotatable framework, and means controlled partially or wholly by anoccupant of the carriage for eifecting or enabling the verticalmovements of the carriage. One carriage may be ascending while anotheris descending, or they may move in the same direction, vertically,depending upon the whim of their occupants.

Further, the invention contemplates means whereby the nose of eachairplane simulating carriage is tilted upwardly and downwardly, i. e.,causing the carriage to assume a climbing or diving attitude, whenthecarriage is ascending or descending, respectively, upon the track.

It is still further contemplated that the means for causing thecarriages to move vertically will be so arranged as to enable arelatively fast descent, so that when a carriage is in an elevatedposition it may be dived to a lower level, affording its occupant asensation similar to that obtained by an occupant of an airplane that isdived.

According to the invention means are preferably provided tocounterbalance each car for vertical movement whereby relatively littleforce is required to raise or lower it. The means for effecting suchraising and lowering may include a vertical rack mounted upon therotating framework and a pinion operated from drive means in a the carand engaging the rack to effect thevertical movement.

The means'whereby an occupant in each car may cause the airplanesimulating car to assume a diving attitude simultaneously with the carsdescending and to assume a climbing attitude simultaneously with itsrising, may include a joy stick or similar control element in each car.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from thefollowing description of the apparatus shown in the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan View of the com- .pleteapparatus;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the complete apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through one of thecars;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional View through the car; a

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the car;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational View of the portion of the structure forconnecting a car for vertical movement upon the rotating framework; V

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of car structure in aplane parallel to thatof Fig. 3; and,

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram.

The apparatus may comprise a framework I2 suitably supported onwheels(not shown) for rotating about a Vertical axis upon circular track railII, the framework including uprights consisting of channel members l3whose outer flanges are connected by cross-brace members 14 and alsoupright members [5 adjacent the axis of rotation of the framework. Anouter circular covering it may be carried by the rotating framework andmay bear thereon a suitable scenic display H. The framework may berotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 around thecircular track I l by any suitable means such as by anelectric motor anda suitable drive, all as is well known in the art relating to roundaboutamusement devices. a

Mounted for vertical movement between'each pair of uprights I3 is atruck consisting of a cross-head 18 having a plurality of rollers i9 forengaging the inner surfaces of the flanges of the channel members I3 anda plurality of rollers 2! for engaging the web portions of the membersl3. Rigidly secured to each cross-head I8 and extending horizontally andoutwardly therefrom is atubular member 22 which, adjacent its outer end23, has an enlargement 24 constituting a transmission housing. Pivotedby trunnions 25 to the tubular member 22, 23 is the airplane simulatingbody of the car 26 which body may be of generally torpedo shapesimulating an airplane fuselage and may be provided with wing simulatingportions 2'! and 28. The latter, 28, may enclose the tubular member 22and may extend from the body 26 into adjacency with the crosshead l8.

The car body 26 may be supported by a cable 3| which extends over asheave 32 mounted on the outer end of a boom 33 carried by the frameworkl2 and may then extend over another sheave 34 mounted on the boominwardly of the uprights E5, the inner end of the cable being secured toa counter-weight 35 which may be approximately the combined weight ofthe body 26, tubular member 22 and cross-head l8. The body 26 may haveaffixed thereto a suitable wheel 36 for supporting it when it is uponthe ground or platform 31 and it may also have mounted thereon,preferably near the nose thereof, an electric motor 33 upon whose shaft4| may be mounted a propeller 39. Upon the opposite end of the shaft 4!may be mounted a pulley 42. Extending over this pulley and over a pulley44 mounted upon a shaft 45 are drive belts 43. Shaft 45 preferablyextends beneath the floor 45 of the passenger compartment of the carwhich is provided with a suitable passenger supporting seat 41.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8, the motors 38 may be connected bysuitable conductors, such as flexible wires 65, to brushes 66 which maybe carried by the rotatable framework l2 and may contact stationaryconductor rings 6'! connected to suitable line wires 68 that lead to asuitable source of electrical energy.

Splined to the shaft 45 for rotation therewith are a pair of connectedfriction drive wheels 48 and 49 which may be shifted longitudinally ofshaft 45 by a shifter member having a collar portion 52 engaging betweenthe wheels 48, 49,

the latter being alternately engageable with a driven wheel 53. Whenshifted forwardly, the wheel 48 will engage the driven wheel 53 and whenshifted rearwardly the driven wheel will be engaged by drive wheel 49.The driven wheel 53 is fixed to a shaft 54 which extends axially of thetubular member 22 and carries at its end a gear wheel 55 in engagementwith a rack bar 55 that extends vertically of the rotating framework,preferably being secured to the cross-brace members M which connect theupright channels IS. The shaft 54 may be mounted in suitable bearings,one of which is indicated at 51 in Fig. 4.

Depending from the floor of the car is a bracket 58 to which is pivotedat 59 a control or joy stick 5!. Beneath the pivot 59 an extension ofthe joy stick is pivoted at 62 to the shifter member 51, and, at a moreremote point from the pivot 59, is pivoted at 63 by a ball and. socketconnection to a link 64 which, as is best shown in Fig. '7, is pivotedby a ball and socket connection 65 to the housing portion 24 of thetubular support.

In operation of the device, with passengers occupying the cars 26, withthe framework l2 rotating about its vertical axis around the track I lin the direction of the arrow in Fig. l, and with electric energyapplied to the motor 38 in each car by any suitable means (not shown),the propellers 39 Will be whirling and throwing a stream of airrearwardly over the passenger carrying portion of each car. If theoccupant will then pull the control stick or joy stick 6| rearwardly,this motion, through the link 64 and the pivot 59, will cause the car tomove about the axis of the tubular support 22 in a counterclockwisedirection, as the car is viewed in Fig. 3, that is, will cause theairplane simulating car to assume a climbing position. Simultaneously,the drive wheel 48 will be engaged with the driven wheel 53'causing theshaft 54 to be driven by the motor 38 in a clockwise direction, asviewed in Fig. 6, so that the car body will be moved upwardly by reasonof the engagement of gear wheel 55with rack 55. After the car body hasrisen to some extent, if the control stick is moved forwardly aboutpivot 59, this motion will cause the car to swing clockwise about thetubular support 22 as the car is viewed in Fig. 3, that is, to assume adiving attitude, and simultaneously will cause drive wheel 49 to engagethe driven wheel 53, causing the shaft 54 to be rotated in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 6, so that the carassembly will descend relative to the rack bar 56. It will thus be seenthat engagement of wheel 48 and wheel 49 with the driven wheel 53 willlimit the downward and upward tilting of the carriage.

As each car, especially when loaded with one or more passengers, will beconsiderably heavier than its counter-weight 35, gravity will assist themotor 38 and drive means in causing the car to descend, and theresulting rapid descent Will simulate the diving of an airplane to theoccupants and also to other persons observing the apparatus.

It is further contemplated that means may be provided, either in theform of brakes or snubbers, to prevent the carriages when descendingfrom contacting the ground, at least from contacting the ground at arapid rate of speed, which would subject either the carriages or theiroccupants to possible injury. Such means may include a snubberassociated with the 'wheel 36, which wheel, whenit strikes the ground,will tend to cause the car to assume a climbing attitude by reason ofthe wheel being disposed for- 1vjvlaprdly of the axis about which thecarriage may It will be understood that the apparatus herein disclosedis merely illustrative of inventive principles involved and that theseprinciples may be otherwise embodied without departing from the spiritof the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In amusement apparatus, a rotating framework having substantiallyupright trackways, airplane simulating passenger carriages and means formounting them upon said framework for substantially vertical movementson said trackways, said mounting means including means supporting thecarriages for tilting movements about substantially horizontal axes tocause them to assume climbing and diving attitudes, and passengercontrolled means for effecting such vertical movements of the carriagesand for causing them to assume a climbing attitude when assending and adiving attitude when descending.

2. In amusement apparatus, a rotating framework having substantiallyupright trackways, passenger carriages and means mounting them upon saidframework for substantially vertical movements on said trackways, saidmounting means including means supporting the carriages for tiltingmovements about substantially horizontal axes to cause them to assumeclimbing and diving attitudes, passenger controlled means for effectingsuch vertical movements of the carriages and for causing them to assumea climbing attitude when ascending and a diving attitude whendescending, said means including power operated means mechanicallyconnecting each of said carriages and the framework for elevating thecarriage upon its trackway.

3. In amusement apparatus, a rotating framework having substantiallyupright trackways, passenger carriages and means mounting them upon saidframework for substantially vertical movements on said trackways, saidmounting means including means supporting the carriages for tiltingmovements about substantially horizontal axes to cause them to assumeclimbing and diving attitudes, and passenger controlled means formechanically efiecting such tilting movements and for mechanicallyraising the carriages upon said trackways when the carriages assumeclimbing attitudes.

4. In amusement apparatus, framework rotatable about a substantiallyupright axis, trucks mounted on said framework for vertical movementsthereon, a passenger carriage mounted on each truck for tilting motionabout an axis substantially normal to said upright axis, means foreffecting vertical movements of the trucks and the carriages mountedthereon, and means reacting between the trucks and the carriages mountedthereon for producing tilting motions of the latter.

5. In amusement apparatus, a framework rotatable about a substantiallyupright axis, passenger carriages including supports mounted on saidframework for vertical movements relative to the framework, meansreacting between each carriage and its support for tilting each of saidcarriages about an axis substantially normal to said upright axis, meansreacting between the framework and each carriage for efiecting verticalmovement of the latter, and means operable by a passenger in each carfor controlling the aforementioned means.

7 HYLA F. MAYNES.

